Below-average picture contrast in a dark environment. Some white-balance inconsistencies. No de-judder feature.

Bottom Line

The Samsung PN50B850 packs great picture quality and numerous network multimedia features into a super-thin design.

The term "flat-screen television" has been used to describe any TV with a screen that isn't curved like a classic tube TV. The Samsung PN50B850 ($2,299.99 list) 1080p plasma, however, is a true "flat screen": At only 1.2 inches, it's the thinnest big-screen television currently available, and it has admirable picture quality, loads of useful multimedia features, and impressive energy efficiency. This set is a strong reminder of plasma's unique strengths: It renders consistent color and contrast at wide viewing angles and produces detail that rivals the latest 240-Hz LCDs.

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Perched atop a brushed metallic swivel base, the PN50B850 features a glossy black bezel with a transparent outer edge, a stylish touch that also makes for harsh reflections from overhead lights. The PN50B850 has no distracting indicator lights, which is a welcome change; the Samsung logo centered on the lower bezel doesn't illuminate, and the set's touch-sensitive controls are embedded to the right. The amber-backlit remote control is sure to please any couch potato with its clearly labeled buttons, solid tactile feedback, and snappy performance.

Samsung has done a good job maximizing the number of integrated input connections on the PN50B850's thin frame, but tight clearance around the ports makes it hard to use thicker cables. Fortunately, the set comes with wire holders and cable guides to help keep everything out of sight and reduce stress on the port connections. The ports on the back of the TV include four HDMI, VGA, component video, and an RF input. The set also has one Ethernet jack and two USB ports.

Connecting the PN50B850 to an active broadband connection allows for simplified firmware updates and access to downloadable updates for the set's Content Library of images, recipes, children's activities, and personal wellness information. A broadband-connected set can also display a customizable selection of apps powered by the Yahoo Widget Gallery, such as weather and news updates and access to Flickr and Twitter. The TV's multimedia player supports a wide variety of file types including MP3, JPEG, DivX, MKV (Matroska-wrapped), MP4, MPEG-2, and others. In addition to 148MB of internal storage available for personal multimedia content, the PN50B850 is also compatible with streaming content from a DLNA-compliant (www.dlna.org) server device (Windows-based server software is also included). Wi-Fienabled mobile devices that support DLNA Digital Media Controller can also link to a network-connected PN50B850 to view text messages, call information, and saved media files on the big screen.

The PN50B850's Movie picture preset produces the most accurate primary and secondary color measurements I have ever recorded from an uncalibrated display. The Movie preset also disables the set's dynamic contrast feature for a more accurate depiction of video detail. I was less impressed with the consistency of the Movie preset's white balance, which left portions of a neutral-colored grayscale test pattern incorrectly tinged greenthe worst, most visually obvious white-balance error. Compared with the entirely green-dominant white balance on similar picture presets with the Panasonic TC-P42S1 and LG 50PG60 plasmas, the PN50B850's performance in this area could be considered (relatively) above average. At least the set's advanced picture settings are effective at taming the worst of these white-balance errors (although the results still weren't perfect).

Picture-size controls allow the PN50B850 to display every pixel of 1,080-line video without excessive overscan, which degrades picture detail. 720p video sources were overscanned by a minor 1 percent when using HDMI input but by a relatively excessive 5 percent when using component video input. VGA input from a PC supported the PN50B850's full 1080p screen resolution, resulting in a detailed, crisp desktop.

The PN50B850's dark screen produces a well-contrasted picture in brightly lit roomsespecially when compared with the grayish-colored screens on plasmas like the Vizio VP505XVT. But in a dimly lit room, the PN50B850's average video black measurement of 0.11 candela per square meter (cd/m2) and related contrast ratio result of 941:1 lag behind most newer plasma TVs, including Panasonic's TC-P42S1 (0.09 cd/m2; 1,146:1) and the Vizio VP505XVT (0.08 cd/m2; 1,245:1). But all those sets pale in comparison to the now-extinct Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD's almost imperceptible black measurement of 0.01 cd/m2 and related contrast ratio of 8,809:1.

All of the TVs in Samsung's 2009 lineup use the company's custom video-processing engine. Its performance when upconverting standard-definition video is excellent; a selection of classic film DVDs I tested looked sublimely colored and detailed through the set's 480i component input. The HQV Benchmark's jagged-edge reduction tests were also smooth, but I was somewhat surprised that the Microsoft DVD Test Annex's film tests showed potential loss of vertical detail with video originally captured at 24 frames per second (fps). Selecting the TV's alternate film processing mode from its picture setup menu fixed this issue but also introduced significant combing artifacts with some text overlays like scrolling credits and stock tickers.

My HD video tests with the PN50B850 revealed that its depiction of motion detail was comparable with that of the latest 240-Hz LCDs, including Sony's KDL-46Z5100. One thing the PN50B850 lacks that most 120- or 240-Hz LCDs have, however, is a display mode that performs an even frame repeat with video originally captured at 24 fps to recreate a more theater-like viewing experience. The screen on the PN50B850 (and all 60-Hz TVs, for that matter) requires the use of an odd frame-repeating sequence when displaying 24-fps video that produces an uneven shaking effect known as judder.

The estimated operating cost of the PN50B850 using default picture settings is $3.89 per month (224 watts in-use average), effectively identical to that of the 52-inch Samsung LN52A750 LCD ($3.89; 223W). But the PN50B850's consumption is significantly less than that of other 50-inch plasma sets I've tested recently, such as the Vizio VP505XVT ($6.18; 356W) and the LG 50PG60 ($6.58; 379W), and it's easy to lower energy consumption even more thanks to the set's Eco picture preset (174W average). Such impressive results earn the PN50B850 an Energy Star certification and our GreenTech Approved designation.

With its unique design, improved efficiency, and impressive feature list, the Samsung PN50B850 represents a welcome update to the classic plasma televisionand its extras don't get in the way of its basic function as a quality display. The PN50B850's solid picture performance would have been nearly perfect with improvements in dark-room contrast and white-balance consistency, even if a little calibration does help somewhat. The set's sibling model, the B860, adds a film de-judder feature that many 120- and 240-Hz LCDs already provide. Still, I'd like to see Samsung and other plasma manufacturers also add an optional smoothing function for on-screen video motion to match yet another popular feature of those LCDs. My wish list aside, this is the strongest plasma I've seen so far in 2009.

Samsung PN50B850

Samsung PN50B850

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